Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-03-31

one that is labored and pedant;c. and
every body knows that the art Of listen
ing is no mean requirement. A good
rule of practice was laid down by
Joseph de Maistre. when he said: II
am very bookish in the walls of my
own study; but in the world try to be
as little bookish as possible" Don't
talk shop. A medical man who talks
necessarily of pills and plasters and the
amputation Of limbs. or q priggish at
torney who never lifts himself out Of
the court atmosphere. and whose entire
conversation betrays the absorption of
his mind in one pursuit, becomes q vol
untary bore The world has little toll
erance for monopolists and monopo-
lies. In society. in the professions, in
the classroom. we should find our level
in the conditions our environments inn
pose. A wise man educes the opin-
ions OF others. after imparing his own
thought, with view to lessen the dis
parity between his own mind and the
mind of the humblest and most unpre-
tentious member of the company. In
some relations the heart is greater
factor than the intellect. Among .
pack of school-boys. a pedant, ike
Casaubon, becomes the veriest fool in
the room. Avoid vulgar colloquial-
isms and slang. TheSe is grisly
fairy story of a beautiful young woman
from whose mouth. when she opened
it. dropped frogs and toads. 81 am ale
ways reminded of this story" says an
English gentleman of good breeding,
''when l hear a young lady talk slang"
Enough words are in everyday use TO
express the incest shade of meaning
without resorting to the low idiom Of
the tap-roonl. Bad words contaminate
the blood as insidiously as do the
microbes of disease and the poisonous
germs that infest animal food. No
gentleman is profane; no lady uses
slang.
Conversation. to be improving. must
be earnest and sincere. The writer
would commend plan inaugurated by
a lady in Boston. as thus described by
an intimate friend: 1.-The usual hour for
these conversations was eleven in the
morning. The persons present were
usually twenty-five or thirty in number
rarely less, sometimes more-and
they were among the most alert and
active-minded women in Boston. Ten
or dozen usually took active part in
the talk. The leaders method was to
begin each subject with short intro
duction, giving the outline of the sub
ject, and suggesting the most effective
points of view. This done, she invited
questions and criticisms; if these
Jagged she put questions herself. using
persuasions for the timid. kindly rail-
lery for the Indifferent. There was al
ways theme and thread. One whole
winter was devoted-through thirteen
conversations-to the fine arts: another
to ethics. in different applications; an
other to education, in various aspects;
another to the proper influence Of
women on family. school, church, 30
ciety and literature. On some of these
subjects she had in her circle undoubt-
ed experts. who knew or carried particu-
lar points more than she did. OF these
she availed herself, but kept the reins
in her own hands. We all know that
the best-planned talk is lottery; to-
day blanks. Tomorrow prizes; and
there were times when the leader could
bring out no cooperation. and had to
fall back on monologue. But this was
not common: and even the imperfect
fragments given in the way of rcpor:
are enough to show the general success
of these occasions"
Conversation parties are not fashion
able to-day. for young people require
amuscments and.games. But who can
estimate the benefit that would result
from such scheme as the above if it
were to become popular, and converse
ton were studied as useful "a we'll as
polite art? We may be sure the gain
would more than compensate for any
loss of time taken from other tasks
The frivolous banter with which very
many fashionable people while away
their leisure hours is not conversation.
Among intelligent men and women. a
love of gossip is deplorably real. The
newspapers have done great deal to
create a taste for sensational news.
But We can remedy the evil BY taking
more exalted views of life, BY reading
and rejecting, by meeting to discuss,
in an intelligent spirit. subjects that
have an educational value and real
and practical interest; and by improv-
ing our conversation we extend our
influence and lengthen our ives.-Har-
old Tdn Sanfroord. IN S. s. Times.
Right and left-Handednes8